"The new system replaced the
previous voluntary arrangements that were overseen by the
Genetic Manipulation Advisory Committee and began a new era of
transparency and accountability to the Australian public on the
regulation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
"The Act and the OGTR provides
the public, farmers, researchers and companies involved in GMOs
certainty, consistency and safety for people and the
environment."
Dr Meek said she was pleased that
the OGTR has delivered on all the key elements of the new
legislation.
These include:
-
Production of an
information-packed website which details the assessment of
applications for proposed dealings with GMOs and lists the
locations of all field trials of genetically modified crops.
-
The holding of the first
Ministerial Council on Gene Technology which oversees the
implementation of the regulatory system,
-
The commencement of work by the
Ministerial Council on its first policy principle ( to
recognise GM/Non-GM designated areas established under State
or Territory legislation),
-
The establishment of the three
committees to advise the Regulator and the Ministerial Council
on technical, ethical and community consultation issues;
-
The development of a risk
assessment and risk management framework to provide assistance
to applicants for licences,
-
The development of a monitoring
and compliance framework to provide guidance to licence
holders and other interested parties.
-
The implementation of a
risk-based monitoring strategy which sees a minimum of 20% of
-
all higher level containment
facilities and field trial sites inspected each year
The Commonwealth legislation was
developed in close consultation with all State and Territory
Governments and all jurisdictions have signed off on the
Inter-governmental Agreement that underpins this nationally
consistent regulatory system.
"During this year I have received
20 licence applications for intentional releases of GMOs into
the environment, the vast majority of which have been for field
trials," Dr Meek said. "I have issued four licences for limited
and controlled releases of various forms of genetically modified
cotton in Queensland, WA and the Northern Territory and the
remainder of the applications are in various stages of the
comprehensive assessment process required by the legislation."
Each licence application requires
the preparation of a detailed risk assessment and risk
management plan and the public is always given the opportunity
to comment on the plan (including any proposed licence
conditions).
The licence applications
currently under consideration include:
-
Cotton: Five applications for
field trials and one application for a commercial release to
be carried out in Queensland, Western Australia and the
Northern Territory;
-
Canola: Two applications for
field trials in NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Western
Australia, and one application for a commercial release by
Monsanto Limited.
-
Oilseed Poppies: Two
applications for field trials in Western Australia and
Tasmania.
-
Sugar Cane : One application
for a field trial in Northern Queensland
By the end of June 2002 over a
third of approximately 70 applications for licences to conduct
work in contained laboratory facilities will have been approved.
Dr Meek said the year ahead posed
many challenges, including consultation on revised
certifications guidelines for contained facilities and the
introduction of cost recovery for the Office, as well as the
conversion of interim approvals for activities with GMOs that
were underway prior to 21 June 2001 to formal approvals under
the new system.
